Field
The described embodiments relate to techniques for tracking the power states and power consumption of an electronic device.
Related Art
A power-usage model is often used while designing electronic devices (such as mice, trackpads, touchscreens, etc.). For example, a power-usage model can be used to provide information about how the electronic device will be used, so that an accurate power budget or battery-life estimate can be calculated. As a consequence, a power-usage model (and the related power budget) directly impacts the design of an electronic device, including the battery size, as well as the size and the shape of the product.
In addition, a power-usage model may be incorporated into a battery model in order to predict remaining battery life. This prediction may be presented to a user of the electronic device, for example, in the form of a remaining time/percentage display or low/critical battery-level notifications.
However, constructing an accurate power-usage model for sophisticated electronic devices can be difficult because users are typically free to use these electronic devices in arbitrary and unexpected ways. Therefore, power-usage models are often constructed by making educated guesses, looking at historical data, or observing users as they interact with electronic devices. These approaches are often inaccurate, which can require more conservative designs (such as electronic devices with larger, heavier batteries) and can make it more difficult to predict the remaining battery life.